Celebrate the Achievements . . .

The Complete Encyclopedia of African American History chronicles 400 years of African American history. This comprehensive resource explores the past, the progress, and the present of African Americans in four volumes, each building, complementing, and expanding on the previous volume.

• Volume 1:400 Years of Achievement presents four centuries of noteworthy accomplishments through a fascinating mix of biographies—including more than 750 influential figures—little-known or misunderstood historical facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation and movements.
• Volume 2:Notable Firsts is an exhilarating listing of the accomplishments of black Americans in the arts, business, education, the military, medicine and science, and sports.
• Volume 3:Heroes and Heroines is an eclectic mix of profiles of 150 well-known and lesser-known individuals who have made a lasting and profound impact on our culture.
• Volume 4:Civil Rights Feats and Facts details the important people, places, and events of the black struggle for freedom.

The Complete Encyclopedia of African American History showcases a legacy of pride, struggle, and triumph through consequential events and people, covering milestones and challenges met while highlighting the considerable contributions African Americans have made to the fabric of American society and culture. It provides insights on—and inspiration from—the influence and impact of African Americans on the United States in a broad range of endeavors from politics, education, religion, business, science, medicine, the military, sports, literature, music, dance, theater, art, film, television, and more.

Volume 1: 400 Years of Achievement
Foreword ix
Introduction xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Africans in America 1
Civil Rights 31
Politics 61
Education 91
Religion 111
Literature 131
Business Entrepreneurs/Media 163
Performing and Visual/Applied Arts 197
Music 281
Science, Technology, Inventors, and Explorers 393
Sports 413
Military 447
Bibliography 469
Photo Credits 478
Index 483

Volume 2: Notable Firsts
Photo Credits vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
Arts & Entertainment 1
Business 75
Civil Rights and Protest 113
Education 131
Government: County & State 221
Government: Federal 275
Government: International 335
Government: Local 351
Journalism 407
Military 433
Miscellaneous 469
Organizations 505
Religion 553
Science and Medicine 605
Sports 641
Writers 741
Sources 761
Index 775

Volume 3: Black Heroes
Foreword, Dr. Nikki Giovanni xv
HANK AARON (baseball legend) 1
ROBERT S. ABBOTT (pioneering publisher) 5
KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR (Hall of Fame basketball player) 10
ALVIN AILEY (choreographer, creator of dance troupe) 13
MUHAMMAD ALI (heavyweight champion boxer) 18
MARIAN ANDERSON (opera singer) 23
MAYA ANGELOU (author and poet) 28
ARTHUR ASHE (tennis player and AIDS activist) 32
JOSEPHINE BAKER (actress and French icon) 39
ERNIE BANKS (baseball player) 43
COUNT BASIE (famed band leader and musician) 46
ROMARE BEARDEN (celebrated artist) 49
HARRY BELAFONTE (actor, singer, humanitarian) 54
LERONE BENNETT JR. (author, publisher) 60
MARY BERRY (congresswoman) 62
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE (educator, school founder) 66
JULIAN BOND (politician) 72
ARNA BONTEMPS (scholar and writer) 77
EDWARD W. BROOKE (lawyer, U.S. senator) 82
GWENDOLYN BROOKS (Pulitzer Prize-winning poet) 86
JAMES BROWN (R&B musician) 90
RON BROWN (lawyer, politician) 98
RALPH BUNCHE (diplomat, scholar) 102
NANNIE HELEN BURROUGHS (educator, civil rights activist) 108
SHERIAN GRACE CADORIA (U.S. army officer) 113
STOKELY CARMICHAEL (civil rights activist) 115
ELIZABETH CATLETT (sculptress) 119
SHIRLEY CHISHOLM (politician) 124
KENNETH B. CLARK (psychologist) 130
SEPTIMA CLARK (educator and civil rights activist) 134
ELDRIDGE CLEAVER (civil rights activist) 137
JOHNNIE COCHRAN (attorney) 140
NAT “KING” COLE (singer and television personality) 143
ANNIE J. COOPER (Pan African scholar, feminist) 146
BILL COSBY (comedian, entrepreneur) 149
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE (actress) 157
ANGELA DAVIS (civil rights activist, educator) 160
BENJAMIN O. DAVIS SR. (military officer) 164
SAMMY DAVIS JR. (entertainer, humanitarian) 169
THE DELANY SISTERS (educators, humanitarians) 173
DAVID N. DINKINS (former mayor, lawyer) 177
M.J. DIVINE (FATHER DIVINE) (religious leader) 182
AARON DOOGLAS (Harlem Renaissiance artist) 187
CHARLES R. DREW (pioneer in blood plasma, physician) 192
W. E. B. DU BOIS (scholar, civil rights activist, author) 196
KATHERINE DUNHAM (choregrapher, dancer, anthropologist) 202
MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN (children’s rights activist) 209
KENNETH “BABYFACE” EDMONDS (singer, songwriter) 213
JOYCELYN ELDERS (former surgeon general, physician) 216
DUKE ELLINGTON (orchestra leader, songwriter) 221
MEDGAR W. EVERS (civil rights activist) 227
LOUIS FARRAKHAN (leader of the Nation of Islam) 237
ELLA FITZGERALD (famed jazz singer) 237
ARETHA FRANKLIN (R&B singer) 241
JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN (historian, author) 245
MARCUS GARVEY (Pan African leader) 253
HENRY LOUIS GATES JR. (author, scholar) 260
NIKKI GIOVANNI (award-winning poet, author) 262
WHOOPI GOLDBERG (actor, social activist) 265
BERRY GORDY (founder of Motown) 269
EARL G. GRAVES (publisher) 276
WILLIAM H. GRAY III (congressman, president of UNCF) 280
BRYANT C. GUMBEL (journalist) 255
ALEX HALEY (author) 291
FANNIE LOU HAMER (civil rights activist) 294
W.C. HANDY (blues musician, songwriter) 299
PATRICIA HARRIS (presidential cabinet member, lawyer) 302
WILLIAM H. HASTIE (lawyer, jurist) 306
CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN (educator, school founder) 311
DOROTHY HEIGHT (organization leader, civil rights activist) 315
JIMI HENDRIX (innovative guitarist) 319
LENA HORNE (actress, singer) 322
CHARLES HAMILTON HOUSTON (lawyer, educator) 328
LANGSTON HUGHES (Harlem Renaissance poet) 334
ZORA NEALE HURSTON (author, folklorist) 341
JESSE L. JACKSON (human rights activist, minister) 347
MICHAEL JACKSON (entertainer) 354
SHIRLEY ANN JACKSON (physicist) 359
MAE C. JEMISON (astronaunt, physician, educator) 362
CHARLES S. JOHNSON (sociologist, college president) 365
EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON (basketball player, AIDS activist) 370
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON (lyricist, author) 374 J
OHN H. JOHNSON (publisher) 379
ROBERT L. JOHNSON (media executive) 355
QUINCY D. JONES (music composer, producer) 388
BARBARA JORDAN (politician, speaker) 395
MICHAEL JORDAN (basketball player) 399
PERCY L. JULIAN (scientist, inventor) 405
ERNEST E. JUST (biologist) 410
B. B. KING (blues singer) 417
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. (civil rights activist, minister) 422
JACOB LAWRENCE (artist) 437
SPIKE LEE (filmmaker) 437
ALAIN LOCKE (philosopher, educator) 443
JACKIE “MOMS” MABLEY (comedian) 457
HAKI MADHUBUTI (poet, publisher) 455
ANNIE TURNBO MALONE (beauty specialist) 459
THURGOOD MARSHALL (lawyer, Supreme Court justice) 452
JAMES MEREDITH (civil rights pioneer) 467
KWEISI MFUME (congressman, organization leader) 471
OSCAR MICHEAUX (pioneering filmmaker) 475
FLORENCE MILLS (actress, dancer) 481
TONI MORRISON (author) 488
CAROL E. MOSELEY-BRAUN (U.S. senator) 492
ELIJAH MUHAMMAD (Muslim leader) 496
EDDIE MURPHY (comedian, actor) 499
HUEY P. NEWTON (founder of Black Panthers) 505
JESSE OWENS (Olympic gold medalist) 570
CHARLIE “YARDBIRD” PARKER (jazz musician) 577
GORDON PARKS (photographer, filmmaker) 522
ROSA PARKS (civil rights activist) 528
BILL PICKETT (cowboy, rodeo performer) 532
SIDNEY POITIER (actor, director) 535
ALVIN F. POUSSAINT (psychiatrist, author) 541
ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. (civil rights activist, politician) 544
COLIN L. POWELL (military leader) 547
LEONTYNE PRICE (opera singer) 554
SAMUEL DEWITT PROCTER (college president) 558
A. PHILIP RANDOLPH (labor organizer) 561
PAUL ROBESON (actor, activist) 557
JACKIE ROBINSON (baseball great) 570
RANDALL ROBINSON (civil rights activist, lawyer) 577
CARL T. ROWAN (journalist, author) 580
BAYARD RUSTIN (human rights activist) 585
ARTHUR A. SCHOMBURG (library curator, writer) 591
BETTY SHABAZZ (educator, civil rights activist) 595
CHARLES CLIVTON SPAULDING (entrepreneur, civic leader) 599
MABEL KEATON STAUPERS (nurse, organization executive) 603
MARY CHURCH TERRELL (educator, writer) 609
WILLIAM MONROE TROTTER (journalist, civil rights activist) 612
ROSINA TUCKER (labor organizer, educator) 617
MELVIN VAN PEEBLES (film director, actor, writer) 620
MADAME C. J. WALKER (black beauty consultant, entrepreneur) 625
DENZEL WASHINGTON (actor) 630
MAXINE WATERS (activist, politician) 635
FAYE WATTLETON (women’s rights activist) 639
ROBERT C. WEAVER (government official, scholar) 643
IDA B. WELLS BARNETT (civil rights activist) 648
CORNEL WEST (author, scholar) 653
WALTER WHITE (co-founder and president of the NAACP). 656
L. DOUGLAS WILDER (politician) 663
AUGUST WILSON (playwright) 667
OPRAH WINFREY (television personality, actress) 673
TIGER WOODS (golf sensation) 679
CARTER G. WOODSON (historian, publisher) 685
RICHARD WRIGHT (writer) 690
MALCOLM X (political and religious leader) 699
ANDREW YOUNG (civil rights activist, politician) 703
COLEMAN YOUNG (politician, former mayor of Detroit) 708
WHITNEY MOORE YOUNG JR. (social worker, civil rights activist) 711
Photo Credits 717
Contributors 718
Index 719
Occupational Index 732

Volume 4: Civil Rights Feats and Facts
Introduction ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Foreword xv
Arts and Entertainment 1
Civil Rights 23
Education 81
Journalism 119
Law and Government 139
Organizations 195
Political Activists 237
Religion 287
Sports 315
Bibliography 349
Index 369